BYLC’s leadership training program has three components:
Building Bridges
Leadership Training
Community Service
We have three distinct schooling systems in Bangladesh – English medium, Bengali medium and Madrassa. There is little or no interaction between students from different educational systems. We believe that this divisiveness in society is a threat to progress in our country. If future leaders, in whatever field, cannot understand where the other half of the population is coming from, then how will they exercise correct judgment and leadership? Therefore, one objective of our program is to bridge this gap by uniting participants from diverse backgrounds.
A good leader is somewhat like a good doctor. Just as the doctor must diagnose the patient accurately to ensure effectiveness of the prescribed drug, the leader must also be able to diagnose problems, voices and values, and come up with effective solutions. What we see in Bangladesh these days is that most leaders jump to solutions. But how will these solutions work if the diagnosis is wrong? Therefore, another objective of our program is to help participants develop diagnostic skills through large class discussions and small group case analysis. But good diagnostic skills and speaking and listening ability alone cannot make an effective leader. A leader must also have a guiding vision, compassion, character, and courage. These are more difficult to teach; and perhaps no university in the world can impart these values to participants. These must come from within and require deep reflections. To this end, we discuss these issues in class and encourage students to start thinking about their personal leadership journey.
At BYLC, we do not use the word ‘leadership’ in a value-free manner. Values are at the core of our program. We believe that leadership as a position of authority alone is of no use unless it delivers positive results for others. We believe that training in itself is not good enough. Action is important. Therefore, the third objective of our program is to help participants apply their skills and knowledge in a real world setting by serving in their local community.
BYLC Curriculum
BYLC uses a dynamic type of leadership
teaching modeled after Harvard
Professor Ronald Heifetz’s “case-in-point”
teaching methodology. This approach
utilizes program participants’ own
experiences and the classroom environment
itself as a “learning laboratory”
for understanding the different
concepts of leadership.
Recent Events
February 21, 2010
BYLC launches Young Scholars Program for underprivileged secondary school students.
BYLC's
Annual Report 2009 and
Audited Financial
Statements are now
available for download.
